A man who travelled to Cambridgeshire in pursuit of hare coursing has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 in fines and issued with a Criminal Behaviour Order.

Smith and other men, who have not been identified, could be seen with three Lurcher dogs (pictured) hare coursing in a field but once again made off when they spotted the officers. The lurchers were seized by police.

Arron Smith, 23, of Redhill, Surrey, was given the order following incidents of hare coursing across the county in Thorney, Littleport, Coveney and Swaffham Bulbeck in October last year.

He appeared at Cambridge Magistrate’s Court on 27 September after he was summoned for poaching, failing to stop and driving without insurance.

The court heard how officers from the Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) were on patrol on 19 October last year when they were alerted to a green Subaru being used for hare coursing in Peterborough.

The vehicle was located in Thorney but failed to stop for officers. As it travelled towards Crowland the occupants threw a dead hare from the window into the road.

Officers stopped the pursuit because of the dangerous way the Subaru was being driven but it was later spotted in Littleport, Coveney and finally Swaffham Bulbeck.

Smith and other men, who have not been identified, could be seen with three Lurcher dogs hare coursing in a field but once again made off when they spotted the officers.

In their haste they left the dogs behind and they were seized by the RCAT.

On December 2, Smith was reported for failing to stop and driving without insurance after further reports of hare coursing in Thorney.

Smith was identified as the driver of the vehicle during an identity parade.

Sergeant Richard Jackson said: “We are committed to driving hare coursing out of Cambridgeshire and I hope this result goes some way to show that every reported incident is taken seriously and we will do all we can to bring these people before the courts.”

The indefinite CBO stipulates that Smith is prohibited from trespassing on any land in Cambridgeshire whilst in possession of a Lurcher or Lurcher type dog whilst in company of another person with a Lurcher.

Smith was ordered to forfeit his Subaru and three dogs. He was ordered to pay £250 compensation to three farmers, £5,535 in kennel costs, a £200 fine for poaching, £400 fine for no insurance as well as £145 in costs and surcharges.

More news stories

Allegations against Wisbech councillor Simon King of inflating mileages, claiming for going 85 miles to Rugby but not on official business, and once claiming return mileage of 10 miles for a meeting a mile from his home, have been revealed.

Thomas Clarkson Academy’s head of humanities Cathy Abrahams is looking forward to developing students’ understanding of democracy after successfully applying to become a teacher ambassador for Parliament’s education service.